[TheAthletic] Top 75 players in NBA history - Number 11: The Dream

The Rockets organization are to blame for Dream being ranked so low. They had their head up their collective buttocks from 87-92. The drug suspensions ( Lloyd, Lucas & Wiggins) didn't help but the rosters were terrible.

Shaq walked into a crap situation in Orlando that turned gold after they acquired Penny. Then Shaq moved around to championship situations with Hall of Fame Coaches (Jackson & Riley) & players (Kobe & DWade) in LA & Miami.

San Antonio maximized Duncan's career like no other superstar has seen. They paired him with David Robinson & seasoned vets immediately. Then the Spurs would acquire young stars like Tony Parker, Ginobli & Kawhi (who started as a role player & blossomed into a star). They hit home runs with a ton of other great role players as well & they had a Hall of head Coach (Poppovich).

There's no doubt that had Olajuwon played with another prime Hall of Fame player or players in his career, that he would have more titles. But the Rockets sucked as an organization for about a third of his time in the league.

 

It is not all about you, me or this conversation.

It is a media controlled and social media controlled environment.

I do not blame you at all for not thinking ahead or outside of this, but it is pretty much spiralling downward.

Harden kept the franchise afloat in the 6-10th area, the franchise will drop down to 12-15 pretty soon.

It is really important how normal people and fans other than Houstonians view Hakeem IMO.

You cannot rest on the laurels and what Hakeem achieved either, you have to work on your future legacy.

 

If this is about rings, Robert Horry is in the remaining 10.

 

Rockets beating Stern's favorite team in 1986 is what led to their downfall... you will have a hard time convincing me that James Worthy and Magic Johnson known for their night lives (legal and otherwise) weren't doing the same things that Lloyd, Wiggins, and Lucas were doing. Ralph getting hurt was not part of the Rockets' plans. The final pre-Les years though... that's when the franchise screwed up in epic proportions...

 

No offense to you, but this statistical journey surrounding Top 5, Top 10, Top 20 players are just a nice side conversation.

Spoiler

My gripe is how the organization can turn it around with a superstar and improve their legacy.

It is not mental gymnastics, have you been living under the rock, the media has virtually ignored Harden in favor of Curry.

I am even considered one of the Harden critics.

Dude, there are no barometers to filter the game in the 70s, 80s, 90s. 00s. 10s and now. Or at least it is not accurate enough.

Those writers are just circle jerking players that are pretty close to each other.

If you fall for that kind of clown show, then I cannot really help you, and you're better off talking to someone who thinks like you.

If you only believe the stats that some so called experts present you without ever trying to think for yourself.

Oh, the great Aristotle was such a great guy and should be close to Top 5 of AT.

You do not see the Matrix at all. (Old Hakeem did well against Young Shaq like Yao dominated Dwight Howard, it is not even close)

 

I don't mind if Tim Duncan is ranked ahead of Hakeem. The wages of wins are on his side and he was an incredibly big influence on that organisation's success.
Both players are wildly under rated. I would probably have both in my starting 5 for all time greats

MJ
LeBron

You can make a strong case for them being top 2.
Outside of that, most every ranking is debatable.

No way (in my mind) Shaq is a better player than Hakeem. Nor Kareem. Hakeem would have schooled either in a head to head prime matchup. I'm a wild homer, but which other superstar won a championship without a Robin?

 

No offense, my man, but you're going a bit off the deep end here for me. But you do you. We're just not going to be able to see eye to eye on this, and that's OK. Fans of the same team don't always have to agree, but we root for the same franchise and we both agree that Hakeem is a Houston legend and one of the greatest to ever play the game. Let's leave it at that, OK?

 

Hakeem isn't and has never been a self-promoter. Unlike Shaq, who very obviously was while playing in the enormous media market of Los Angeles, for a wealthy organization that surrounded him with elite talent. It continued after retirement, appearing regularly on ESPN and in countless commercials. Those things shouldn't matter when these lists are made, but they do, in my opinion, and it clearly mattered to The Athletic.

Tim Duncan, a great player that I have enormous respect for, is not better than Olajuwon. The difference there? Duncan played with a terrific organization, as @TEXNIFICENT pointed out above, who brought in outstanding talent. The topper? He played under one of the great coaches in NBA history for his entire career, winning multiple championships as a result. Hakeem spent a large stretch of his career in the "wilderness" while playing for a poor organization, and didn't get a great coach until Rudy T, miracle of miracles, was given the job.

The Athletic has played the fool, in my opinion. I read the rag, but my opinion of them has reached a new low.

 

I actually went the length and watched some of the Shaq stats and yes, I think Shaq was a physical monster through and through on Offense.

But....wait for it. He was pretty above average to good on Defense for his size, Hakeem was much better there.

His teams just knew how to surround him with the players that negated his 'mediocre side, shortcomings'.

No wonder he jumped ship from a good Orlando to an invincible Lakers team and then to a borderline great Pre-Lebron Heat team.

He was surrounded by marquee talents. Oh, we good, I had no problem with you, was just doing my best to rep Houston legacy.

 

Putting Hakeem behind Kobe and Duncan is questionable, but there was no way he was going to be ranked ahead of the other guys in their top 10. Hakeem is ranked above every other one of his peers that he bested during the championship years (other than Shaq, who peaked several years later). Good enough for me. Edit: Actually, Hakeem could easily have been ranked ahead of Shaq too, but I wouldn't have predicted it.

I kind of wish this thread was focused more on how awesome Hakeem was and less on complaining about lack of appreciation from non-Houstonians.

 

Hakeem saw this coming, this is why he is training Sengun to carry his moves forward and achieve a better spot in the all time list..

 

Maybe it's the view of Dream we got to have...

Are there really 10 players with a greater blend of raw athleticism, basketball ability, full court production and team success? I don't think I agree.

 

Kobe at #10...

...did he ever win one without an all-star big man?

 

Or spin it another way: We're complaining because we know how awesome Hakeem was and he's obviously getting the shaft?

 

Gasol and Artest carried that Laker team when they beat Boston in 7. No one wants to talk about the 6 for 24 game 7 Kobe had.

 

Let’s be honest, 11 was the highest Hakeem could get.

No National publication would leave Kobe, magic, bird, Lebron or Jordan out of the top 10. Kobe is the one on the borderline, but Laker, rings, charisma, titles, flash, and on a National platform, fans, readers and writers would melt down. Magic bird, Lebron and Jordan are established NBA royalty.

then they have to give a nod to the old timers: wilt, Kareem, Russell. That’s pretty much automatic top 10 as well.

Shaq - see Kobe. Can’t have him outside of top 10. People would melt down.

so it comes down to Hakeem vs Duncan. Hakeem was the superior player. But it’s splitting hairs. But it ticks me off too. It’s sort of like the disrespect to the championships bc “Jordan didn’t play”.

duncan will eventually be bumped out of the top 10 by curry or durant. Because he is dull, because San Antonio, because that’s how top 10 lists work.

 

Also, Gianni’s will get the Hakeem and Duncan treatment. Just outside of top 10. Milwaukee. Not super marketed.

 

this 100x. The 1986 rockets were a huge threat to the lakers v Celtics oligarchy. Lakers couldn’t deal with that rockets team. Too big, too athletic. There are articles written about the lost dynasty that was that rockets team. One of the worst hit jobs of all time.

 

Would have liked to see him win something with Smush Parker, Chris Mihm... Radmanovic.

 

Jackson was over rated. He never coached a rebuilding team, only teams on the rise or already Playoff set.

Dream went back to back...............Duncan never did